1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an electric power supply control device for a vehicle and, in particular, it relates to an electric power supply control device for a vehicle that electrically controls actuators of the vehicle such as a steering lock device and an engine ignition device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional steering lock devices for motorcycles etc. have been actuated by, for example, rotating a mechanical key used in common with a key switch for turning on or off an electric power supply circuit that includes a starting circuit. When operating a vehicle having such a steering lock device, it is necessary to first unlock the steering lock device, turn the electric power supply circuit to on, press a starting switch to start the engine. Accordingly, the operation of the steering lock device tends to be complicated.
In view of the above, the present inventors have contemplated utilizing electromotive actuators , etc. for the steering lock device to control the actuators with a simple switching operation.
Further, a device of controlling an electric power supply system off vehicle actuators by the input off code signal is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Sho 63-199186. However, if an engine ignition circuit, etc. is inactivated not by means of usual off operation to a main electric power supply of the device but by directly actuating an emergency stopping means such as an engine kill switch or by accident (engine failure, etc.), the main electric power supply will still remain on after the engine stops. Then, if the driver while forgets to turn off the main power supply when he leaves the vehicle, electric power is consumed wastefully by the various electric devices such as lamps equipped in the vehicle.
The present invention has also been intended to avoid the consumption of battery power in such a case.